The DSWD signed a grant agreement with the ILO
on Monday to support sustainable livelihood and community enterprise
development in regions affected by Yolanda.
The grant agreement was inked by DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman and Director Lawrence Jeff Johnson of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines.
The grant agreement was inked by DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman and Director Lawrence Jeff Johnson of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines.
The agreement will cover 36 municipalities
affected by Yolanda in Tacloban, Leyte; Northern Cebu; and Coron, Palawan.
The partnership will assist 1,200 vulnerable
workers and guarantee minimum wage, social security, health, and accident
insurance coverage.
Personal protective equipment such as masks,
hats, gloves, boots, and protective clothing will also be provided to ensure
safety at work.
The ILO estimated that about six million workers
were affected when Yolanda struck the Philippines in November 2013.
Of these, 2.6 million workers were already invulnerable employment and living near or at the poverty line even before the onslaught of the storm.
While much progress has been made in rebuilding lives and livelihood
within the first year since Yolanda struck, the country was hit by typhoons
Ruby and Seniang in December 2014 which affected the same communities and
thousands of vulnerable workers who still lack decent work and sustainable
livelihood opportunities.
"This partnership with ILO will provide 'Yolanda' survivors
with sustainable and decent sources of livelihood to help them regain normalcy
in their lives. By providing them with a sustainable source of
livelihood, we are both ensuring that they can stand on their own feet and
protecting them from being exploited,"Soliman said.
The project will continue until June 2015.
To date, more than 15,300 workers or 76,500 family members have
been assisted through the ILO's emergency employment program in Coron, Northern
Cebu, Leyte, Ormoc, and Tacloban.
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